


Take My Whole Life Too

by louissass



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, M/M, Pining, Queerplatonic Relationships, Slow Dancing, Weddings, not larrys wedding not yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 00:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6588985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louissass/pseuds/louissass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“For I can’t help falling in love with you,” He mumbles, smiling back at Louis, their noses bumping together. Something clicks for Louis, and suddenly he doesn’t care. His smile drops and he focuses solely on capturing Harry’s lips with his own. They just look so pink and soft and inviting. Damn, Louis really wants to kiss him. </em>
</p>
<p>or, louis and harry are best friends who don't realise they're in love until sophia and liam's wedding</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take My Whole Life Too

**Author's Note:**

  * For [missandrogyny](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missandrogyny/gifts).



> heloo!! i really hope this is okay because the prompt was a little vague and at the beginning i wasn't sure what to do with it, but i think i got there eventually.
> 
> thanks to everyone who forced me to write when i was procrastinating too much (jo, kat, that's u) and also thanks for makin sure what i was writing actually made sense u rock ily <3
> 
> please enjoy this fic, i do hope you like fluff because that's all this is lol
> 
> peace out

On the day of the wedding, Louis is running late. To be honest he’s not sure why any one is really surprised, seeing as he’s always running late. His boss has taken to telling him his shift starts half an hour earlier than it actually does so he’ll arrive on time. Everyone knows that running late is sort of Louis’ thing.

“There you are! Finally! I’ve been going out of my mind with worry!” Eleanor exclaims when he arrives at the reception venue. The idea was that the bridal party would get ready in one of the hotel rooms above the reception rooms and then drive to the church. Pretty good plan if Louis does say so himself.

“Sorry, sorry,” He mutters, scratching his head, “Got held up in traffic,”

“Liar,” She chuckles, shaking her head a little. Eleanor reaches forward and grabs Louis’ empty hand, tugging him through the hotel with a faint, “Come on,”

Eleanor pulls Louis through the winding corridors of the hotel, apparently refusing to take the lift and make him walk up all the stairs to the top floor. Maybe it’s punishment for being late, maybe Eleanor doesn’t realise how heavy the basket actually is. By the time they get to the top floor, Louis is panting like mad and Eleanor is failing to hold back her amused smile at that fact. Eleanor pulls him to what seems like the furthest room away from reception, before finally pushing open a white door and exposing Louis to the chaos that’s taking place inside.

Dresses, shoes, tights, hair things, and makeup things are absolutely covering the floor, walls and bed. The flower girls are sitting opposite each other, plaiting each others hair with ribbons and hairbands encircling them. The younger bridesmaids are sitting on the bed, all tapping away on their phones and nattering away, not in the slightest bit interested in what’s going on. The older bridesmaids are sorting through boxes, moving stuff around, fixing their hair in the floor length mirror, or just generally helping out the bride on her big day. Lou is doing hair and makeup, of course, and when she sees Eleanor and Louis walk through the door she removes the hair curler away from her subject’s head and smiles widely.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” She grins, nodding towards him. Her subject swivels in her seat, worry fading from her face if only slightly when she lays her eyes on him.

“Hi love,” Louis grins, setting his basket on the bed before carefully stepping over to his beautiful friend Sophia. She gets up from the stool she was sitting in and lets him wrap her in a tight hug.

“You’re late,” She mumbles, “I’m mad at you,”

“I know,” He hums in response. She’s not really mad.

“Did you pick up the flowers?” Sophia asks as he pulls away.

“Of course. I may be tardy but I do what I’m told,” Louis replies with a cheeky wink. Eleanor scoffs, to which Louis sticks his tongue out.

“Okay, good, at least we’ve got the bouquets if everything else goes wrong.” She nods firmly, as if trying to convince herself of that fact as well. As far as Louis can see, everything else is going smoothly, so he couldn’t think what Sophia could be referring to. But he knows Sophia, and he knows the look on her face, and he knows how to fix it. It doesn’t matter that he left his suit in the car and should probably go back and get it, it doesn’t matter that he can feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, Sophia’s about to cry and that’s not on.

“You’re going to ruin your makeup, babe,” He says quietly, eyes soft and welcoming. Louis squeezes Sophia’s arm where it’s rested after their hug in a comforting manner, to which she smiles, if only a little.

Sophia nods and takes a step back. “Speaking of makeup, we need to do yours, Louis,”

“Oh I can do that, Sophia,” Lou says, moving to pick some items off the table.

“I– I’d rather Soph did it, if that’s okay Lou,” Louis replies in Sophia’s place. He knows that she’s barely holding herself together, and that she needs to get out of there as soon as possible and calm down. “Is there somewhere we can go?”

“Take my key,” Eleanor says, handing Louis a white key card, “It’s the next room along,”

“Thanks El. We’ll be back soon, yeah?” He says, grabbing Sophia’s hand and dragging her out of the room.

The two don’t speak until they get to the room, which is actually a lot further away than Louis thought it would be, just smiling occasionally and grasping each other’s hands tightly. Sophia sits on the bed cross-legged, spreading her makeup items she keeps specifically for Louis, while Louis watches from the doorway, his arms crossed across his chest. He knows Sophia needs to do this, he knows she’s just stressed and needs to do something to take her mind off of everything that’s going on, but he also wants her to talk.

Louis wants her to explain that voicemail he had on his phone this morning, his best friend crying and slurring out that she isn’t ready to get married, that she loves Liam but she’s scared that he loves her more than she ever could. He knows he can’t just ask outright, and Sophia might not even remember it, but now there alone, it seems like the perfect opportunity. And Louis can’t shake the feeling that Sophia is kind of trying to avoid telling him something.

“Are you gonna sit down so I can make you pretty or just stand there?” She asks suddenly, looking up at him with big brown eyes.

“Rude,” He scoffs, walking over to the bed and sitting with his knees touching Sophia’s, “I’m already pretty.”

“Pretti _er_ , then,” She laughs, shaking the bottle of tinted moisturiser. “Did you shave this morning?”

“Just for you,” Louis winks, Sophia shaking her head slightly in disbelief.

“You’ve been growing out that stubble for like three months,” She gasps mockingly.

Louis rolls his eyes fondly and holds out his hands for her to squeeze some of the liquid into, which she does so. “Ha ha, miss no beard,”

“Oh there was a time, wasn’t there,” Sophia laughs.

“Yeah,” Louis sighs wistfully, “Shame you were so bad at it,”

“Excuse me! I was an excellent beard!” she protests, shoving Louis’ shoulder lightly.

Louis laughs again, wiping his hands off on his joggers once he’s finished putting the moisturiser on his face, “Love please. You cheated on me with like six boys and told them it wasn’t cheating because we weren’t really together anyway. Terrible.”

“Which boys?” She asks incredulously.

“Jake Scotty, Tommy Fisher–”

“Now hold on a second, you _told_ Tommy Fisher to make out with me. You told him that you didn’t mind and that I really fancied him and I deserved a good snog!”

Louis pauses for a second. “Yeah, I did, didn’t I?”

Sophia chuckles to herself as she swirls the brush in the eye shadow palette. Louis closes his eyes on instinct and sits patiently. “We were a good couple, you know? Everyone wanted our relationship,”

“They wanted the relationship they _thought_ we had,” Louis hums softly, “And to be honest, so do I one day. We painted a really good picture.”

Sophia is silent while she sweeps the eye shadow over Louis’ lid, paying closer attention to the inner corner of his eye. She’s silent while she does the left eye as well, and Louis figures now is as good a time as any to speak his mind.

“It’s okay to be nervous, you know?” He whispers, as though it’s a secret.

“I really love him, Lou,” She replies, going back to his right eye, this time paying closer attention to the crease. Louis figures he’s getting a bit of a smokey eye. He senses there’s a but coming, so stays quiet, “I want to marry him, I just. What if he doesn’t want to marry me? What if he doesn’t love me as much as I love him?”

“Soph,” He says slowly, “Liam asked you to marry him. He wants to do this as much as you do,”

There’s a small pause, and the eye shadow brush his tapping at his lids again, probably so he has to keep them closed. “What if he wants to do this more than I do? What if he loves me more than I love him?”

“I don’t understand,”

“I’m not saying I don’t love him,” She whispers, “I’m saying, what if he loves me so much more, that it’s impossible to return that love or live up to that expectation?”

Sophia doesn’t come back at his eyes with the brush, so he figures it’s safe to open them. She’s got a kohl liner in her hand, so he looks up to the ceiling while she lines his lower lash line. “Liam is so besotted with you, Soph. I don’t think for one second he’d hold it against you if you couldn’t return every single inch of the love he has for you, because I don’t think anyone could live up to that. He loves you so much, I don’t even understand how he has anything left in his body, what with all he gives to you.”

“I know you’re right, I don’t even know why I’m worried,” She says softly, picking up the mirror next to her and holding it so Louis can see to put on his mascara.

Louis chuckles a little bit as he blinks into the brush and coats his lashes. “I’m always right babe, you should be used to it by now.”

“If you didn’t have a mascara brush right next to your eyeball, I’d push you off this bed right now,” She huffs, the fond clear in her voice.

“And if you weren’t just about to do my lipstick, I’d push you off the bed just for admitting that,” He responds lightly.

“That’s all I’m good for, is it? Your makeup?” She huffs, picking up the neutral lipstick.

“Someone’s gotta do it,” Louis retorts, before presenting his lips for the lipstick.

“Thanks, babe,” she mutters as she coats Louis’ lips with lipstick. Louis raises his eyebrows in question, Sophia continues with the lipstick, “For making me talk, for knowing what I needed, for being here.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” He grins after he’s smacked his lips together a few times, and plants a kiss on Sophia’s hand. They both smile down at the mark for a second, before Sophia goes back into bride mode and fills Louis in on how the day is going to progress.

***

The wedding goes smoothly and Liam and Sophia tie the knot with no complications, but a lot of tears. Louis gets told off by Sophia for crying and ruining his makeup, then gets pulled into the girl’s bathroom to get it fixed. It turns out, Sophia’s bag is literally just full of makeup and her phone. Typical of a makeup artist, really.

Even though only the best man, Zayn, is supposed to speak, Louis somehow gets roped into it as well, and ends up telling embarrassing stories about both him and Sophia, which probably isn’t exactly fair since he isn’t the one getting married, but that’s the way it ends up at most parties; Louis making a fool out of himself. This time it was willingly, which is unusual for Louis.

After the speeches is the food, there’s a lovely three course meal that Louis has been looking forward to all week. Tomato soup to start, roast chicken with spuds and veg for main, and chocolate pudding for dessert. And then obviously wedding cake, but Louis is trying not to think about that. Four courses is too much for his brain to comprehend.

Louis is sat on a table with his family and Harry, since the tables seat ten, and he kind of misses Niall and Zayn a bit. He doesn’t let it worry him too much though – not that he could even if he wanted too, his mother taking up all of his time with nagging. Louis loves her so much, don’t get him wrong, but this is supposed to be a night to enjoy, and he can’t do that if Jay’s always fussing over him.

“When’s it going to be until your wedding, Lou?” She hums, cutting a roastie in half and swirling it around in the gravy on her plate.

“Oh, not for a while yet, mum,”

“Well gay marriage is legal now. You could get married any time you want,”

Louis rolls his eyes and takes a big gulp of wine before answering. He just doesn’t like it when his mum tries to involve in his love life. It’s never ended well before. “But in order to get married, I do need someone to get married _to_ ,”

“Aw I’ll marry you, Lou,” Harry pipes up suddenly, nudging Louis’ arm with his elbow, “If no other offers come along, that is,”

“Why would you want to marry my brother? He’s stinky and leaves his hair all over the bathroom sink,” Daisy says, wrinkling her nose at the two of them.

Louis gasps dramatically and leans forward to tickle all over her tummy. Daisy giggles loudly and tries to squirm away from Louis’ fingers, but he’s had sixteen years of tickle experience. He knows how to win. “Says you, Miss _I’m Going To Leave My Socks All Over The Floor_ ,”

“It’s not like you would know, since you probably don’t even own a pair of socks,” Phoebe retorts, sticking out her tongue and folding her arms. Louis looks up and pauses where he’s tickling Daisy, flexing his fingers in her direction, a warning. A warning which Phoebe seems to click on to, because she flinches away automatically.

Louis dives forward and tickles both girls, using one hand on each of their bellies. He’s laughing manically and they’re screaming in what sounds like joy, but of course mother has to spoil their fun by grabbing the wrist closer to her and giving him a stern look. “No fighting– _play_ fighting in public, children,”

“Well you’re wrong anyway Pheebs, because I’m wearing socks right now, see?” Louis retorts lazily, flashing his rather dashing socks– navy blue with little white ship wheels on them.

Harry chuckles next to him and leans forward to stage whisper, “He stole them from me,”

“The washing machine eats mine!” Louis pouts, “I swear it’s got a vendetta against me and my socks.”

“It seems perfectly fine with my socks. The only one stealing them is you,” He retorts. Louis sticks out his tongue, too lazy to come up with any sort of response.

“So… When’s the wedding?” Lottie smirks, looking up innocently at Louis. He scowls, knowing exactly what she’s like and what she’s doing. Lottie always manages to try and set Louis up with his gay friends, despite him repeating many times that there’s no feelings there and they’re just friends, she always finds something more. Harry is a beautiful person, he’s going to make someone very happy one day, but to Louis he’s a friend and nothing more. Well, a roommate and nothing more. So they share a flat, it doesn’t mean they want to move in together and make babies.

“Y’know, I was thinking June maybe. Just the perfect month between summer and spring. Don’t you think, boo bear?” Louis flickers his eyes to Harry, who has the biggest grin on his face, absolutely chuffed with himself. He knows Louis hates it when he calls him boo bear, but that doesn’t stop him, it seems.

“Of course, honey bunch,” Louis replies, making kissy faces at Harry. Harry laughs his adorable quack laugh and uses his hair as a shield, pretending to snog Louis, when in actual fact Louis is blowing air in his eye.

Louis flinches back when he feels something fall into his eye and rubs it profusely. Of course, Harry looks on with concern, “Are you okay?”

“Think there’s something in my eye,” he mumbles, still rubbing his eye.

“Here, let me have a look,” Harry says, beckoning Louis forward, and so Louis looks into Harry’s eyes and leans forward a bit, so Harry can get a good look. Louis can feel the soft touch of Harry’s fingers on his jaw, keeping his head in place, and bites his lip worriedly when Harry frowns. “Stay still,” he says lightly, before blowing directly in Louis’ eye again. “Eyelash,”

“Thanks, H,”

“Are you two done?” His mother says suddenly, interrupting the moment. But when Louis looks over, it’s clear to see the fond in Jay’s eyes.

For one, Louis is really glad his family approve of his and Harry’s friendship, even if Lottie is still trying to set them up. Because Harry is the first friend Louis has made, whose mum doesn’t already know his mum from the school playground. It’s the first friend he’s made on his own and it really means a lot to him that his mum approves.

(Obviously Louis has made lots of friends – he’s been away from home for six years – but Harry is the first one who he’d invite without a doubt to his mum’s for Sunday Roast. Harry is the one who replaced Niall as his roommate after only three months of meeting. Harry is the friend Louis found on his own, without his mum’s help, or obligation due to them being shacked up with his long life friends. Harry is the one friend that matters the most, and if Jay didn’t approve, Louis doesn’t know what he’d do.)

“For now we are,” Harry says mischievously, and honestly Louis doesn’t know which parents wouldn’t approve of him. He’s the most charming man Louis knows and he’s so happy to call him his best friend.

***

After the wedding cake, which was surprisingly easy to eat even after the three course meal, there’s a bit of socialising and Louis reconnects with Niall and Zayn. Niall of course launches at Louis, as he always does if they’ve been separated for more than five minutes and he’s had a bit to drink.

“Alright, Niall?” Louis asks, an amused tone in his voice. He notices Zayn looking on fondly and smiles at him, “Good speech, mate, you got a few laughs I saw,”

“Not as many as you,” Zayn replies with a chuckle, “Proper stitched me up you did,”

“What the bride wants the bride gets.”

“’S that why you got this shit on your face?” Niall perks up then, rubbing Louis’ lipstick off his face, where Louis’ lips had brushed against his skin when he’d jumped him moments before.

“Don’t pretend you hate it,”

Niall laughs then, softly punching Louis in the arm, “Don’t hate it on you, definitely not, just on me. I thought makeup up was supposed to stay on your face, not end up on mine?”

“You love it when I get makeup all over your face,” Louis replies, grabbing Niall by the neck and leaving lipstick marks all over his cheeks. Niall squeals and squirms away, finally breaking free after at least seven marks have been put on his face, which Louis counts as a win.

“I hate you,” He grumbles, trying to wipe the marks off his face, “I’m going to go tell Jay you’re picking on me,”

“Tell-tale,” Louis whines as Niall pushes past him to talk to his mum. Niall just sticks his tongue out in response, and leaves Zayn and Louis to talk. “How’s it going with Niall lately? You’ve not been round in a while, me and Harry were starting to get worried,”

“Yeah no it’s good,” Zayn says non-committedly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Louis isn’t a fan of that answer, so sits down at a nearby table, looking at Zayn until he does the same – albeit reluctantly.

“But…” Louis prompts.

Zayn looks around and sighs deeply. Louis knows he’s not exactly very good at sharing, and it’s probably even harder to share information about Niall to Niall’s best friend. It takes a minute, but eventually Zayn leans forward and mumbles in Louis’ ear, “I’m in love with him,”

“Oh.”

That’s a bit of a problem. Louis doesn’t fully understand it but as far as he’s aware, Niall and Zayn’s arrangement is strictly platonic, no romantic or sexual feelings are involved. It’s strange to him, but if it works for them, who is he to tell them they’re wrong? After all, Louis doesn’t know the ins and outs of their relationship.

“I don’t know what to do, Lou, you know what Niall’s like with stuff like this,”

“Well, look,” Louis says, putting his reasonable hat on, “All relationships, romantic or otherwise, they all survive on trust and honesty, yeah? So really you need to be honest with him and tell him how you feel,”

“Easier said than done, that,” Zayn scoffs, “What if it ruins everything? What if he doesn’t want to be with me anymore?”

“That’s a risk you have to take. At least then you can both move on and can find someone to give you what you need,” Louis replies, actually quite proud of himself. Usually he’s terrible at advice, but today seems to be a good day for him.

“How about I tell him the truth if you tell Harry the truth,”

“What on Earth are you talking about? I’ve never lied to Harry about anything,”

Zayn smirks, leaning back in his chair, “Oh so you told him how you’re hopelessly in love with him, did you?”

“What?” Louis squawks, not believing his ears. Has Zayn had too much cheap fizzy wine? “Harry and I are just friends, we’ve always been just friends,” Zayn raises an eyebrow, seemingly disbelieving, so Louis folds his arms in defence, “And I’m not in love with him. Never have been, never will be,”

“In love with who?” That saying, speak of the devil and he shall appear, seems to be pretty accurate Louis discovers, turning around to find Harry right behind him.

“No one, Haz, hence the not,” Louis replies, staring right at a smirking Zayn. Louis kind of hates Zayn sometimes (not really but he likes to pretend).

“Okay,” Harry mumbles, dragging out the word, a confused look on his face. “Well, anyway, Pheebs and Dai have something to ask you, don’t you girls?”

Louis looks down at his little sisters, one each side of Harry. Phoebe perks up first, of course, being the eldest she’s obviously in charge, “Can you and Harry dance with us?”

“It’s Hokey Cokey next, the DJ said so,” Daisy says.

“Anything for my girls,” Louis grins, standing up and taking Phoebe's hand, while Daisy takes hold of Harry’s and they all take to the dance floor. He doesn’t even look back at Zayn, knowing he’d be making some inappropriate gesture at Louis and Harry that Louis definitely is better off not seeing.

The four of them join the circle that’s already forming, Harry and Louis in the middle with one twin either side of them, and wait for the music to start. When the chorus starts and they all run into the middle, Harry and Louis link hands, and Louis notices for the first time just how well his and Harry’s hands fit together, how nice Harry’s fingers feel wrapped around his own, how warm Harry’s hands are. He quickly shakes out of it though, Zayn must be getting into his head.

***

As the night goes on, Harry and Louis stick to the dance floor, whereas all their friends and family leave them to it, until it’s only the two of them and a few of Liam’s family members throwing their shapes.

“Alright this next song is for all the lovers in the room,” The DJ says smoothly over the fading music, “So grab someone you love and hold on tight,”

A collective groan of recognition sounds out across the reception room as the song _Can’t Help Falling In Love_ filters through the speakers, and many couples take to the dance floor. Louis has no desire to stop dancing, but it’s a bit hard to dance solo to a couple song, and it might just be Zayn’s earlier words messing with his head, but when Harry holds out his hands for Louis to take, well he just can’t refuse.

So they rock side to side, taking up a classic ballroom pose, laughing and joking the whole time. Something seems to switch, however, and they stop joking around, instead holding each other closer and just enjoying each other’s company. Harry’s always felt warm and safe to Louis, but today something is different. Today, Louis feels like he’s wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket, like nothing bad can ever get to him, like nothing else in the world matters because Harry is holding him. Today, Louis feels like he is _home_. And usually Louis wouldn’t worry, but. This is _Harry_ he’s talking about, he shouldn’t be feeling that way about his best friend.

“Stop frowning,” Harry’s low voice rumbles in his ear.

“How did you know I was frowning?”

He feels Harry’s chest move against his head as he laughs quietly, his thumb rubbing circles on Louis’ back in comfort, “You’re so tense, I can just tell. Just relax and enjoy the song, yeah?”

Louis’ fingers twitch in Harry’s grip where they’re still linked, his other hand still placed on Harry’s shoulder, and he nods, trying to fall into Harry’s body. It’s hard, though, because all he can hear going round in his head is Zayn’s words from earlier. But Zayn is just overreacting, Louis is not in love with Harry and he needs to stop overthinking what other people are saying. It’s messing with his head and ruining his dance with Harry. Which, by the way, is lovely. Harry is a wonderful dancer.

“You look absolutely beautiful tonight,” Harry murmurs a few moments later. Louis lifts his head off Harry’s chest and looks up at him coyly.

“Well, y’know, Sophia can work wonders with a bit of slap,” he replies with a laugh. “Kind of is her job, after all.”

“You’d look gorgeous without it, Lou, you know that. It just makes you even more beautiful,” Harry clarifies, before pausing for a second. He’s got the look on his face where he’s trying to think of a word (the fact that Louis knows that is worrying, but he puts it to the back of his mind) before it clears and he’s smiling down at Louis. “Ethereal.”

Louis scoffs at that. He’s a lot of things, but ethereal is definitely not one of them. “Now I know you’re taking the piss, Styles. That’s not nice.”

Harry frowns then, his fingers pressing tighter into Louis’ back. He lets go of Louis’ hand where it’s resting against his chest and cups Louis’ cheek, forcing them to lock eyes. Harry seems to be searching for something, his eyes staring intensely into Louis’, so intense that Louis would look away if he could.

“Do you really believe that?” He asks, what sounds like concern lacing his voice. Louis just shrugs, looking down for a moment, before Harry gives his chin a gentle tug, forcing him to look up once again. “Louis, you are the most beautiful person in this room, and that wouldn’t change if you were wearing makeup or not,”

And, Louis doesn’t know what it is – the music, the look in Harry’s eye, Zayn’s interfering – but he just really wants to kiss Harry right now. He’s not going to, obviously, because Harry’s his best friend, and they’re at a family wedding, his _mum_ is here for Christ’s sake, but that doesn’t change the fact that he really really wants to. Harry must notice Louis look at his lips because he smiles smugly, beginning to sing a long to the words of the song.

“ _Take my hand_ ,” Harry sings as he takes his hand away from Louis’ cheek and reconnects it with the one on Harry’s chest, their fingers interlocking. “ _Take my whole life too_ ,”

Louis grins, knocking his forehead against Harry’s as they sway to the music.

“ _For I can’t help falling in love with you_ ,” He mumbles, smiling back at Louis, their noses bumping together. Something clicks for Louis, and suddenly he doesn’t care. His smile drops and he focuses solely on capturing Harry’s lips with his own. They just look so pink and soft and inviting. Damn, Louis really wants to kiss him.

“ _For I can’t help falling in love with you_.”

The song changes almost immediately, causing Louis to jump back a few inches, completely startled. Harry looks a bit confused for a second, before he recognises the song and smiles widely. It’s from Grease, their film. Better yet it’s _their song,_ from their film. Louis puts the last few (extremely confusing) moments to the back of his head and breaks away from Harry’s grip, pulling out the big moves for his favourite song.

“ _You better shape up_ ,” Harry mouths to him over the music just as the first line is starting up, Louis of course taking Danny Zuko’s lines and Harry taking Sandy’s. Louis just laughs and enjoys the music, not for a second thinking there might be a deeper meaning behind that lyric.

***

Turns out, there might’ve been a deeper meaning behind that lyric.

It’s a few days after the wedding, Louis has finally slept off the hangover, and Sophia has informed him many times that she and Liam are having a great honeymoon in Italy. Louis is honestly really glad for them, they never really get to holiday much and they deserve this break. Harry hasn’t been around the past few days, going out on lunch dates with his stupid hipster friends that don’t like Louis, and to be honest Louis isn’t even that sad. Sure, he misses his best friend, but on the other hand it means he has a good chance to sit down and think about what went on at the wedding.

The logical explanation is that Zayn messed with his head, obviously. He’s never seen Harry in a romantic sense once until Zayn pointed it out at the wedding. Well there was that one time Louis was at the park and thought Harry looked absolutely gorgeous in his skin tight jeans and flowing lavender shirt, but they didn’t even know each other then. Besides, it’s not as if he’s wrong, Harry is absolutely gorgeous. He’s also charismatic, and charming, and so kind, and Louis knows he’s going to make someone very happy some day. He also knows that’s not going to be him, because he and Harry are just friends, and that’s all they’ll ever be. Louis has always known that’s all they’ll ever be, so why is it all of a sudden making him so sad? Why does he feel disappointed, like he’s lost out on something great?

Zayn really is getting into his head.

Louis’ phone rings before he has a chance to start slagging Zayn off some more, unfortunately. Fortunately, it’s Niall.

“Alright Ni,” He says as he picks up the phone, settling back into the sofa and tucking his feet under his legs.

“What did you say to Zayn at the wedding? He’s acting weird,” Niall says automatically, not even returning Louis’ opening greeting. Which, rude.

“What makes you think it was me?” He asks incredulously. Louis just really hates being accused of things without any backstory, okay. “Maybe he’s just being weird.”

“He was absolutely fine until you spoke to him at the wedding, now he’s being weird.” Niall retorts, “Do you see where I’m going with this?”

And, yeah. Now Louis sees where this is going. Zayn’s acting weird because he’s about to say three words that could make or break his and Niall’s whole relationship. There’s obviously a lot on his shoulders. So Louis can relate, but it’s not okay for him to make Niall think he doesn’t care anymore. Niall always has and always will be Louis’ top priority, no matter what. It’s his job to protect him.

“No need to be rude Niall,”

There’s a deep sigh before Niall speaks again, “Sorry. I’m just a bit stressed. Zayn’s being distant and cold and I feel like it’s me but I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong? So now I’m questioning every move I make.”

“Look, Niall. It’s not for me to tell you what’s going on with Zayn. That’s up to him. But I can assure you that it’s absolutely nothing you’ve done, okay? He just needs some time to sort himself out. I reckon if you ask him about it he’ll just come right out and say it anyway, it didn’t take me much prompting.”

“I knew it was you!” Niall says loudly, causing Louis to pull the phone away from his ear for a second. “Why can’t you just tell me?”

“Mate this is something you’re going to want to hear from him, trust me,” He replies, tutting when Niall whines down the phone, “That’s all I’m going to say on it, Ni, I mean it. Just talk to Zayn.”

“Fine if we aren’t going to talk about my dramatic social life, we’ll talk about yours instead.”

“What do you mean, I haven’t–”

“Have you told Harry you love him yet?” Niall interjects, causing Louis to sigh in dismay.

“For fucks sake, not you as well,”

“Yes me as well, Louis,” he retorts, only somewhat making sense, “You can’t just ignore your feelings forever. I’ve let it go for two years because I thought it’s what you wanted, but you almost kissed him on the dancefloor! You obviously want to be with him!”

“I did not almost kiss him,”

“Your lips were like three centimeters apart,” Niall deadpans, to which Louis huffs.

“Whatever, doesn’t mean I wanted to kiss him,” Louis retorts sulkily, “We were only dancing.”

“Look, I know the truth, you know the truth, I’m not gonna argue with you man. But I do think you need to tell him soon,”

Louis’ quiet for a moment, thinking about what Niall’s said. He doesn’t know what comes over him, but suddenly words are flowing out of his mouth without his control, words he wasn’t even aware he wanted to say. “But what if he doesn’t love me back?”

“Are you kidding me, Lou?” Niall says with a little laugh, which Louis thinks is kinda mean to be honest. “Harry is so in love with you it’s crazy!”

A pause, and then a shy, “Really?”

“Of course! Literally everyone can see it apart from you, mate,”

That does fill Louis with a bit more confidence, but he doesn’t say anything. He fears that if he voices the fact that he’s going to tell Harry he loves him, then he’ll have to commit to it, and if he doesn’t do it everyone around him will get sick of his bullshit and give up. Not that it makes sense, because it seems everyone’s already sick of his bullshit, especially when it comes to Harry. Wow, Louis really needs to get his shit together.

“I really need to get my shit together,” He voices, bemused with himself.

Niall laughs at that, seemingly taken aback. “I know mate, I know.”

***

Harry comes home late that night, when Louis is already tucked up in bed, scrolling through Facebook. He doesn’t knock on Louis’ door like he normally does, even though the bedside light is still on and can be seen through the crack in the door, and just goes straight to his room. Maybe Harry thinks he needs to get his shit together, too.

Louis sighs and rolls onto his side, turning his light off when he hears Harry’s heavy boots plod down the corridor and away from his room. His phone pings not a second later and he opens the message from Zayn.

_Your turn._

Louis sighs again, knowing he’s got a lot of talking to do tomorrow.

***

In the morning, Louis wakes up to the sound of a blender. That’s both good and bad, because it means Harry is home. It means Louis gets to see his best friend and talk to him and maybe coerce him into making Louis breakfast. But it’s also bad because he’s _home._ Which means Louis has no time to prepare, he has to tell Harry right now immediately how he feels. And it’s scary. Louis isn’t sure if he’s ready.

Then again Louis isn’t sure if he’ll ever be ready and he knows he needs to tell Harry. More importantly, he needs to tell Harry before Zayn and Niall get on his case about it, because he really doesn’t need that right now.

So, begrudgingly, Louis pulls off his covers and makes his way to the kitchen where Harry is, in just his t-shirt and pants from the day before. He knows Harry will be dressed in a similar way though, so he isn’t too bothered. When he gets to the kitchen, he sees Harry chopping up various fruits to put in his smoothie and blending them together, just as he predicted. Louis doesn’t say anything at first, just reaches into his cereal cupboard and picks out the box of Frosties, busying himself with making breakfast.

“Morning Lou,” Harry hums between blends.

“Morning,” He responds, “Did you have a good time out yesterday?”

“Yeah, great. Nick and Pixie send their love,” He says, causing Louis to scoff. He hates Nick.

“I still think Pixie is a stupid name–”

“I know,”

“–And I still hate Nick.”

Harry laughs a little bit, “I know, boo.”

“I know that you like him, I just,” Louis breaks himself off with a sigh, looking down at his cereal. Harry’s toast pops in the toaster and he sits down at the table with it on a plate, along with some butter and his smoothie. “I think he’s a little creepy. He clearly fancies you, even though he’s so much older than you, and I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to like all of my friends, just like I don’t have to like all yours,” Harry says with a genuine smile as he takes a sip of his smoothie. Louis honestly wonders where this perfect boy came from sometimes. Probably space.

“Yeah but you like all my friends, so. Feel like I have to explain myself,” Louis shrugs.

Harry sighs and reaches across the table to bump their knuckles together. It’s a comfort thing they sometimes do, no big deal. Doesn’t mean Harry is in love with him or anything. “Lou, you never have to explain yourself to me, you must know that by now.”

“Actually there is one thing I need to explain,” He begins, figuring now is as good a time as any to explain his feelings for Harry. “What happened at the wedding–”

“You don’t have to explain that to me, man. It was heat of the moment, I know that.”

Louis falters at that because, he’d been so sure that Harry had wanted to kiss him back. “So, you didn’t want to kiss me back?”

“What?” Harry seems genuinely confused, and slightly taken aback, so Louis gives him the benefit of the doubt. He takes a deep breath to prepare himself for the bombshell he’s about to drop and stares at Harry’s breakfast, not daring to look in his eyes in fear of rejection.

“At the wedding, when we were dancing. I wanted to kiss you. Did you not want to kiss me back?”

There it is. It’s out there. Louis half wishes he can take the words back, push them back into his mouth and never think them again, but he can’t. They’re out there in the world now, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Harry blinks. He blinks again. He rests his hands on his lap and leans back in his chair, staring at Louis intently. “Yes, Lou,” He says finally, “If you’d have kissed me, I would’ve kissed you back.”

Louis snaps his head up, not really expecting that answer. He searches Harry’s eyes for any signs of deception but all he finds is sincerity. Louis blushes, his voice caught in his throat. “Really?”

“Really,”

“So does that mean…?” Louis trails off, and forces himself not to get his hopes up. No one but Harry can know what he’s going to say next, and even though Louis might have an idea, he’s not going to take anyone’s word for it that Harry’s in love with him until he hears the words from Harry’s mouth himself.

“That I have feelings for you?” Harry supplies when it becomes clear Louis is too lost in his own head to finish that sentence himself. Louis just gives a shy shrug and stares into his cereal bowl. “Yes Lou, it does. Have for quite some time now to be honest.”

“Really?” Louis squeaks, looking up and immediately blushing even more when he meets Harry’s eyes. He doesn’t know why he’s acting like a love-struck teenager, but it’s embarrassing and he wishes he would stop. “I have feelings for you too.”

“You have?” Harry asks, his eyes lighting up. Almost as if he thought Louis was going to reject him, which would be impossible.

Louis just nods. “Didn’t realise until recently but, yeah. Think i’ve fancied you from the moment I met you, really.”

“I think I have too.”

They both smile and look away shyly, Harry taking another sip of his smoothie and Louis putting a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. The two finish breakfast in a comfortable silence, their confessions somehow making it even easier to enjoy each other’s company. Around halfway through breakfast, their feet seem to intertwine under the table, the warmth and strength of Harry’s legs wrapped around Louis’ reminding him of the warmth and safety he felt wrapped in Harry’s arms, reminding him just how much he’d loved to be in those arms again.

“I think,” Louis begins, when they’ve both finished their food, just sitting at the table and looking at each other, neither wanting to move and break the atmosphere. “I think I want to take you on a date. If that’s okay.”

“It is. It’s very okay indeed.”

Louis giggles, adjusting himself in his chair. “You’re such a nerd.”

“Not as much of a nerd as you,” Harry retorts lazily, poking out his tongue. Louis laughs, his eyes trained to Harry’s lips. Oh how he’d love to kiss those lips. But he can’t ask, it’s weird. They’ve not even been on one date yet. Heck, it’s barely been twenty minutes since they confessed their feelings.

“I am a nerd, but at least I own it,”

“I think I want to kiss you,” Harry blurts out, instead of responding. Louis is slightly taken aback by his outburst, and it seems Harry is too, judging by his wide eyes and faint blush. “Sorry, I. That came out wrong. I mean, I do want to kiss you, but. I didn’t mean to say it. Sorry.”

“Curly,” Louis laughs, bumping their feet together under the table, “It’s okay. I want to kiss you too. Was just thinking about it, actually.”

“They do say great minds think alike,”

Louis just rolls his eyes and stands up from his chair, gesturing for Harry to do the same. He doesn’t know where the sudden bravery has come from, but he’s very thankful it’s there. Inside Louis is shitting himself. “Just kiss me, you fool.”

And Harry does kiss Louis, and it’s wonderful, the best kiss either of them have ever had. They kiss all day, wherever and whenever they can, and after that they kiss for the rest of their lives. It’s a pretty good deal, Louis thinks.


End file.
